The UC San Diego Strength and Conditioning staff offers year round training to all of the 23 Triton athletic teams. Through a wide variety of stimulus and techniques our professional strength coaches provide a comprehensive training approach that allows our student athletes to compete at their highest level.

As a strength staff we invest fully in the mission of each of our teams as well as to the success of each student athlete. It is our goal to help each student athlete realize if not surpass his or her athletic potential. Through a blend of scientifically based training techniques, and high intensity motivation we are able to extract the best out of each of our student athletes.

The Triton Strength and Conditioning coaches are certified strength and conditioning specialists (CSCS) who pride themselves on maintaining their knowledge of the most current training concepts and techniques in order to develop the most comprehensive and competitive student- athlete.

Our staff is a high energy hands on staff who know what its like to dedicate and spend themselves in a team effort for a common goal. We believe that the greatest feeling of accomplishment is to know you did all you could do to become all you can be. It is our passion to make you better.

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR HARD WORK.

MEDIOCRITY IS FREE, SUCCESS COMES WITH A PRICE.

THE WILL TO PREPARE TO WIN IS WHAT MAKES CHAMPIONS.

Strength & Conditioning Staff

Myles Cooper - Director of Strength & Conditioning

Myles Cooper returned to UC San Diego in September of 2013 to serve as the Tritons' Director of Strength and Conditioning.

Most recently, Cooper was an assistant athletic performance coach at UCLA from 2011-13.

Cooper was hired as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at UCSD in July of 2010, where he worked until 2011 before departing for UCLA.

Prior to his first stint in La Jolla, Cooper spent six months as an intern at UCLA, where he worked with the Bruin men's and women's basketball, football and women's volleyball programs.

Cooper served as a strength and conditioning intern at Marquette University before his time in Westwood. He worked with men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, men's and women's tennis and women's basketball.

Cooper has also worked as an intern in the strength and conditioning department at the University of Utah and served as a conditioning coach at Park City High School in Park City, Utah.

From January 2008 to August 2009, he worked as a facility manager at The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (TOSH) in Kearns, Utah, and has also spent time with the ABA's Utah Snow Bears.

Cooper earned a Bachelor's Degree in athletic training from Weber State University in 2002 and went on to obtain his Master's in exercise physiology with an emphasis in strength and conditioning from Baylor University in 2007. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

Kevin Backus - Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach

Kevin Backus was named Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach in August of 2012. He will primarily be working with the Triton women's crew, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, women's volleyball and women's water polo programs.

Backus spent the 2011-12 season as a graduate assistant at UCSD, working with the women's soccer and men's and women's tennis teams, as well as developmental athletes.

Prior to coming to La Jolla, Backus interned at the University of Delaware, where he worked primarily with the Blue Hens' football team. He was mentored by coaches Augie Maurelli and Brian Hess while in Newark.

Backus holds a biochemistry degree from Villanova, where he spent four years as a student worker in the equipment room. In addition, he held an internship with the Office of Health Promotion, writing articles on nutrition and fitness.

He holds certifications through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the United States Weightlifting Federation.

A native of Philadelphia, his hobbies include cooking and following the Eagles and Phillies.